The Health Management and Policy Program offers a master’s degree in the following three concentrations:
Program Objectives
Admission Requirements
Program Requirements
At the local, national and regional level, our healthcare system confronts new challenges in coping with the many changes in technology, information systems, financing and management. For many health industry professionals seeking career advancement, a master’s degree is often now required. Moreover, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of medical and health services managers is predicted to grow faster than average through 2014.
The Health Management Policy (HMP) Program primarily enrolls mid-career professionals working somewhere within the U.S. healthcare system. Many students complete one of three four-course Graduate Certificate Programs before seeking admission to the Master’s Degree Program, and the certificate courses are then accepted as credits toward the M.S. degree.
UMass Lowell is one of the largest accredited online education providers in New England. As developed under a blended learning grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and its Sloan-C initiative, the program offers graduate studies in a new blended format that offers the "best of both worlds" - combining face-to-face and online classes - providing a more accessible program of study for busy healthcare professionals.
Although a background in health is not required for admission to the Program, applicants with significant health-related work experience are given preference when program capacity is limited. For applicants without health-related work or educational experience, one’s academic and professional history is important.
Applications can be submitted and evaluated at any time. Nevertheless, we recommend that applicants seeking admission for the Fall semester have applications complete by May 15, and that applicants seeking admission for the Spring semester have applications complete by December 15.
Thirty-six credits (i.e., 12 three-credit courses) are required to obtain the Master’s degree. Students in all three concentrations must take the following three core courses:
32.514 Healthcare Management
32.511 Healthcare Finance
32.733 Capstone Project (or, alternatively, a formal thesis)
Additional courses are required as follows for each concentration.
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Health Informatics Concentration:
Health Informatics students are required to take the following eight courses:
32.502 Organizational Behavior in Healthcare
32.531 Health Informatics
32.607 Healthcare Information Systems
32.512 Operations Analysis and Quality Improvement
32.616 Law and Ethics in Healthcare
32.632 Health Information Systems Planning
32.633 Healthcare Database Design
32.634 Healthcare Database Development
Health Informatics students must take one additional, elective course. Any of the following courses can be taken on an elective basis:
32.506 Quantitative Methods in Healthcare Management
32.515 Applied Health Economics
32.527 Planning and Marketing in Healthcare
32.625 Health Policy
32.626 Leadership in Healthcare
32.627 Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health
32:671 Comparative Health Systems
Health Policy students are required to take four courses as follows:
32.625 Health Policy (Prerequisite for all other policy courses)
32.506 Quantitative Methods in Health Management (or Health Data Analysis)
19.575 Introduction to Biostatistics and Epidemiology
57.515 Qualitative Research Methods (or Applied Research Methods)
Introduction to Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Qualitative Research Methods and Applied Research Methods are taught in other UML departments.
Health Policy students must take five additional, elective courses. Any of the following courses can be taken as electives:
32:671 Comparative Health Systems
32:627 Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health
32.616 Law and Ethics in Healthcare
32:515 Applied Health Economics
32:531 Health Informatics
Regional Economic and Social Development
57.515 Politics and Economics of Public Policy
57.605 Social Movements and Empowerment
57.511 Dynamics of Power and Authority
57.546 Grant Writing
Community Social Psychology
47.502 Seminar in Community Social Psychology: Health Promotion
47.533 Mental Health Problems in the Community
47.547 Community Mapping
47.545 Community and Organizational Change
47.531 Substance Abuse
Work Environment
19.550 Environmental Law and Policy
19.651 Work Environment Policy
19.654 Work, Technology and Training
Policy concentration students who wish to conduct thesis research must choose that option at the start of their program of studies so that they can work closely with a faculty adviser to ensure their ability to complete this work within an agreed upon time schedule.
Students enrolled in a Certificate program who are considering conducting thesis research as a master’s degree candidate are strongly encouraged to take a research course as part of their Certificate program.
Capstone Project (or Thesis)
All MS students are required to complete a Capstone Project (or, alternatively, a formal thesis). Although students register only for a three-credit semester-length course, the Capstone Project (or thesis) typically takes longer than the four-month semester itself. The Capstone Projects are highly idiosyncratic, and may involve any of the following elements (as well as others):
Most projects are substantially student-defined, and conducted in support of the organization or business where the student works. For students not working full-time, the student’s Faculty Advisor can assist in defining and structuring a Capstone Project. Indeed, several area healthcare providers have indicated an interest in getting assistance with their own internal projects or studies.
Although the projects themselves are highly variable, a substantial, narrative report (30 pages or more) is required for all Capstone Projects; and this report must include a review of relevant literature. Students are also asked to make a project presentation to students and faculty at a special forum event.
Students also have the option of writing a traditional Master’s Thesis. This alternative involves much higher standards of scholarship and review, including oversight by a three-person thesis committee. Because of the additional work involved, anyone writing a thesis is encouraged to register for an additional three-credit Independent Study. A thesis is developed consistent with UML guidelines.
Faculty Advisors
Faculty Advisors are assigned by area of concentration as follows:
